The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) was pleased to learn that the Departments of Transportation and Justice have jointly issued a Request for Information (RFI) relating to the state of competition in air travel. A number of developments such as the mergers and acquisitions approved by the DOJ in the decades following deregulation of the airlines in 1978 have contributed to an alarming decline in competition in the U.S. airline industry, resulting in both higher prices and fewer choices for consumers.  

Travel advisors sell 735,000 air tickets daily, and they have witnessed first-hand the effects of airline consolidation throughout the history of commercial aviation. Once agents of the airlines, advisors are now their consumers and assist travelers in choosing the best air travel options. This has led to increased prices, decreased choice and lower satisfaction among travel advisors’ clients.  

ASTA formally brought these concerns to the attention of both agencies more than a year ago, and as such we welcome the opportunity presented by the RFI to share the members’ views on this critically important issue.